Vocal recitals have often been the least well attended event in an Ilkley Concert Club season, but such is mezzo-soprano Sarah Connolly's reputation that there was huge demand for tickets leaving no empty seats in the house. The cleverly structured programme was adventurous, well known Schumann lieder in the first half but less familiar French fare after the interval. There had been a last-minute change from what was advertised, with some brief vignettes by Poulenc and Honegger substituting for a rarely heard Fauré song cycle that made for a somewhat brief evening's entertainment.

The audience response was very positive, with prolonged applause and much cheering at the end, yet especially in the first half I felt out of step with this degree of enthusiasm. Hers is big voice used to projecting in major international concert halls and opera houses and in the Schumann songs there was a harshness in the tone that did not suit the music. Furthermore it was not always easy to hear the words.

Things improved in the second half because she had by then got the measure of the hall's acoustic and sang with less effort. She seemed more at home in the French repertoire with its allusive and sometimes ironic style. The impressionist Roussel songs were imaginatively done and she showed a keen sense of humour in the Poulenc and Honegger items. Her love of jazz stood her in good stead for the concluding Richard Rodney Bennett mini-cycle which she performed stylishly.

Her accompanist was Martin Martineau and he was superb throughout the evening, responsive to every mood of the music and whilst far from self-effacing, he never upstaged his partner. His playing was always expressive, never more so than in the poignant ending of Schumann's Frauenliebe und Leben. He was always 'with' his soloist and entered into the spirit of the lighter items gleefully. His spoken introduction about the substituted items was a model of wit and concision; a major contribution to the evening.

An opportunity to hear the late-lamented Lorraine Hunt-Lieberson (mezzo) with Julius Drake (piano) in this work should not be missed, on Wigmore Hall Live WHLive 0024 (medium price). The couplings are 8 Brahms Songs. Sarah Connolly has an excellent recording accompanied by Eugene Asti (piano) on Chandos CHAN 10492 (full price). The couplings are other Schumann Songs including Liederkreis Op.39.

Fauré

An excellent Brilliant Classics set of all the Fauré Songs at less than the price of a full price CD (92792), has Elly Ameling (soprano) and Gérard Souzay (baritone) accompanied by Dalton Baldwin (piano). Elly Ameling sings "Le Jardin Clos", and the original EMI recording has transferred well to CD.

Roussel

There seem to be very few recordings of this composer's songs, and the only comprehensive collection is on Timpani 2C2150 (2 CDs at full price). Various artists share the set.

Richard Rodney Bennett

Sarah Connolly and Malcolm Martineau have a very good recording of English Songs, including this work, on Chandos CHAN 10691 (full price). The recording quality is excellent.

Raymond Waud.

CLUB NOTES

PROGRAMME FOR THE 68th SEASON 2013-2014

2 October 2013

David Pyett Celebration Concert, sponsored by Club Members

MANCHESTER CHAMBER ENSEMBLE & CUILLIN SOUND

From David's wish list – Aaron Copland's "Appalachian Spring" for 13 instruments conducted by Richard Howarth, plus more splendid music by Bach, Poulenc, Britten and Grainger, and musical surprise in honour of David.